ONESHOT: Happy Anniversary!

People in the photo (Kim Min Suk, Jin Goo, Song Hye Kyo, Writer Kim Eun Suk, PD Lee Eun Bok, PD Baek Sang Hoon, Song Joong Ki, Seo Jeong Yeon, Writer Kim Won Suk, PD Seo Woo Sik, Lee Seung Joon) Credits to @seo_woo_sik for the photo post

Prompt: It was a simple, yet a memorable gathering 

Date: March 17, 2017 - 1:00 pm

Song Hye Kyo felt like staying at home was the best way to spend her Friday afternoon. After being reminded by Ms. Park of her free schedule, she had already made a decision to stay home during the day. She rarely gets time for herself as she devotes her time either working on set or talking with friends, and now that she was having this free day after weeks of photoshoots and gatherings, she couldn't be anything but grateful. 

However, as the clock ticked, it occurred to her that spending the day off alone was rather a bore. The next thing she knew, she found herself staring blankly at the digital clock perched on top of her bedside table. As she stared, she noticed a long, white-colored box behind the clock, that of which had the size of a shoebox. Hye Kyo, in her curiosity, reached for the parcel and pulled it closer towards her, only to be dumbfounded seeing the familiar penmanship written on the sticky note posted on top of it. 

"Happy Anniversary, Kang-seonsaeng!"
- Big Boss

Aish, Joong Ki is too in character, She giggled, remembering her conversation with Ms. Park earlier that day. 

----

March 17, 2017 - 9:00 am, earlier today

"Hye Kyo-ah, we've got a lot of appointments next week, so it's the best time to relax during the weekend," Ms. Park said as she walked towards her room, "Laneige called for an endorsement meeting on Sunday, and there are still upcoming deals the day after that," 

She nodded in reply, "Okay, should we block those then?" 

"Unless you have made prior arrangements and personal meetings, then we could do something about it," 

"Ani, it's fine. I haven't made committments," She replied with a smile as she got up from her bed. Hye Kyo quickly pulled her unruly hair to a slightly messy bun and began to walk towards her manager, "What about today?"

"Don't tell me you do not remember what's happening today," Ms. Park raised a brow, surprised at her talent's innocent remark, "You've been itching for this day to come, right?"

For a moment, Hye Kyo fell silent as she looked up in wonder, "Umm... Isn't today the start of my day-off?" 

"Silly, it's more than that," her manager cackled, clicking her pen and inserting it inside her notebook planner, "It's your anniversary party! PD Lee Eun Bok called up earlier this week to have a special gathering, didn't he?" 

"Aish, right! How could I forget that! Of course, it is today!" She laughed, but looked all the more surprised and clueless when Ms. Park suddenly handed her a huge box wrapped in white paper. It seemed big that she had to carry it with both hands, "Geundae, this.. What's this?" 

"An anniversary gift. You'll see. Anyway, I have to go now. Enjoy your day-off!" Ms. Park enthusiastically waved her hands as she walked towards her house's front door, finally leaving the actress alone. 

"T-Thank you, Manager!" Hye Kyo bowed down, still left with no clue of what was happening, particularly with her. How could she forget that the anniversary celebration was today? 

And to think that today was also Joong Ki's awarding ceremony, Hye Kyo hit herself on the head for forgetting to pop her partner a congratulatory text message earlier. 

"Oh well. Would he need my attention at this time of the day? He seems busy," She mumbled to herself as she strolled back to her room, putting the package aside; she could picture Song Joong Ki getting all prepped up for tonight's event, looking and acting calm and reserved yet feeling nervous and giddy deep inside—a trait she observed he had after a year of being together in a melodrama. 

The latter memory made her happy, at the same time proud of her co-star. Quickly, she pocketed her pants and took out her phone, typing a message for Joong Ki.

Song Hye Kyo: Tonight is yet another one of your nights. Congratulations on the Performer Award!" ^_^

The moment the 'Sent' icon appeared on her phone's screen, she set it aside and plopped on the bed. She never waited for a reply; after sending her message, Hye Kyo slumped on her bed and immediately fell asleep...


---

March 17, 2017 - 1:00 pm, back to present

...and woke up hours later. 

Recalling what had happened, she wondered why she never took the initiative to open the package as soon as Ms. Park left, nor at least take a glance on the sticky note before shoving it behind her clock. 

"Aish, I'm so stupid," Hye Kyo mumbled as her fingers gently snipped the note off and ripped the parcel open, slowly revealing the contents of the package. Her face slowly formed a smile as a trace of teal, white and gold appeared with every rip she made; she knew what what the package was instantly just by looking at the matte-finish box, with her face printed on it, along with some of her co-actors and actresses. 

It was the DVD Set of Descendants of the Sun. 

"Hold up," she frowned, holding the box further away from her, "Aren't the lead actors supposed to receive free copies of this?"

Did Joong Ki buy me an extra? Hye Kyo tore the remainder of the covering and investigated the package, finally realizing she had been trolled by the actor after seeing the note made on the bottom of the box which wrote: "SHK's Copy" 

She couldn't help it. Hye Kyo took her phone out and dialled the first (and only) person she thought of that instant. In just two rings, the recepient of the call immediately picked up.

"Ne, yeoboseyo, noona?" Ah, his voice.

"Ya, Joong Ki-ah," Noona? She frowned.

"Waeyo? You sound scary," He whispered. "What's wrong?"

"Did you send me an anniversary gift, or did you just deliver my copy?" She asked in a voice so nerve-wrecking, and yet Joong Ki did not seem threatened by it. Instead, he chuckled in reply. "What's funny?"

"I delivered it. And I even got it wrapped for you," He quipped, and Hye Kyo knew the great chance he was grinning teasingly as he was speaking to her. "It's from my friend, Big Boss. Did you read the note?" 

"Ah, jinja? Are you playing with me?"

"Did you see the note?"

"Ne. You delivered it to the wrong person. I'm not Kang Mo Yeon,"

"Ah, right, right," He replied, "You're my girlfriend,"

"Ya!" She sounded peeved, but Joong Ki chuckled despite that, "By the way, I'm surprised you still have the time to play around, shouldn't you be on your way to the awards venue?" 

"I am on my way there. And I'm not playing around. I was actually waiting for you to call me,"

"How are you feeling? Gwaenchanha?" She asked, knowing how antsy and restless he could be before the show; she understood how he could look calm and composed on-screen, and even in front of the guests, but before the lights begin to focus on him and the cameras would start to flash, Joong Ki would seem like an innocent child, or more like a helpless snail with no shell. He would be silent, and oftentimes she would see him spacing out and staring mindlessly on an object. 

"Nervous, noona," the tone shifted from playful to antsy, and Hye Kyo would always recall the countless times he would talk to her about being anxious before shooting on the set of Descendants of the Sun, "For some reason, I am restless," 

"Heol, you might win the Daesang," 

"Waeyo? What makes you say that?" 

Hye Kyo grinned as she kept the phone closer to her, "That's actually the feeling, right? When you feel like you might throw up butterflies soon, that could possibly mean you are unconsciously claiming to win," She wanted to sound encouraging, but maybe Joong Ki thought she was kidding since he laughed on the other line. "Ya, I'm being serious here,"

"Aigoo, you're adding up to my nervousness, don't you realize that, Noona?" 

"Come to think of it, I'm feeling the same thing too!" 

"What?"

"I'm feeling really giddy and perked up right now. I'm itching for what's going to happen later. You're going to win."

"Noona--"

"There's a big chance you'll do--"

"Hold up, you're making conclusions--"

"I really feel something. Aiyoo, I'm litterally getting real excited,"

"Is...that supposed to be a bad thing?" 

"Ani. I'm loving this. It's getting me the thrill that you'd win. I'm rooting for you, remember that," She spoke to him, and she loved how he made a slight 'awww' as a reply. "Would I be expecting to greet you personally later?" 

"Later?" He asked her, "What's going on later—ah. Anniversary. Right," 

That made her laugh, "You forgot?" 

"It slipped my mind. Sorry," He muttered on the phone, "Should I expect that I'd be thanking you personally later?"

"By all means, Joong Ki-ah," 

"And please don't expect me to win the Daesang, jeongmal--"

"You're going to win, I'm claiming your victory if you won't,"

"Ya, Song Hye Kyo-ssi--"

"I'm hanging up. Annyeong!" The call did not last that long, since he had a lot to prepare that day, and she did not want to bother him. However, after she had made a deliberate move in hanging up on the call first, the actress found it funny how Joong Ki also forgot about the anniversary party.

During the remaining hours of her lonesome afternoon, she spent it watching clips from the drama's directors cut in her cozy living room. She saw the commentary recording she made with Joong Ki, Kim Ji Won and Jin Goo, and suddenly felt nostalgic of the days they would see each other often: how she would giggle whenever she saw the two men marching and practicing army songs in their uniforms, and even the time she would spend talking with Ji Won about the career they were in. 

Skipping the video further, she saw some of the unreleased behind-the-scene footage of her and Joong Ki (not to mention the many, many takes of kissing scenes that did not make it on the actual drama). While she watched their scenes, it occurred to her that the actor did have a different persona while the camera was rolling, as though it was no longer Song Joong Ki she was with at that moment, but it was a completely different person—it was Yoo Si Jin, so to speak. The experience was truly that for her as she acted alongside him, however the difference between the real man and the fictional character was better seen in the camera's perspective; as soon as Director Lee would yell 'cut', the serious soldier would then turn to the soft-spoken actor she had grown feelings for. His furrowed brows would then disappear, and his lips would curl to a smile of relief as he would stare at her. 

"Did I do well?" She would remember him asking her every after scene, and she would automatically reply with a nod.

This was Joong Ki, after all. Hye Kyo knew that with such talent and such character towards the staff, there is a big chance, if not certain, that he would win the Daesang. 

And that night, while she was preparing for the anniversary party, news broke on social media that Song Joong Ki was given the prestigious award. I knew it, the senior actress thought as she grabbed her coat before heading outside to celebrate with the rest of the production.

 

When she arrived at the venue, some of them were already warming up the party; the PDs, the staff and some of the actors and actresses of the hit drama were already downing a few bottles of soju.

"The party started already?" Hye Kyo screamed as she stormed in the reserved room for DOTS, and the first person who welcomed her inside was her senior actress Seo Jeong Yeon. She grabbed Hye Kyo by the hand and hugged her excitedly. 

"Why wouldn't we, when the drama won a number of awards tonight? Not to mention Song Joong Ki-ssi got the Daesang...again!" Jeong Yeon enthusiastically said as Lee Sung Joon walked towards them, handing Hye Kyo a shotglass filled with soju. 

"Drink up, Director Lee says it's on the house," The actor who played the cheeky Doctor Song in the drama patted her on the shoulder before waltzing towards one of the tables. 

"Aigoo, he acts as if he won the Daesang," Jeong Yeon snickered, "Come! We'll sit together while we wait for them to arrive," The two ladies walked towards the less-crowded table, where most of the actors were seated. Among them were Jin Goo and Kim Min Suk, who also warmly welcomed the actress. 

"Oh, Hye Kyo-noona!" Min Suk beamed, walking towards Hye Kyo's seat and giving her a pat on the shoulder. 

"Min Suk, your hair has grown since the last time we met!" 

"Oh, jinja? I don't feel like it has changed at all," He grinned sheepishly at his noona's remark while he walked back to his seat. "It's probably because I didn't style them today,"

"It's too bad the Medical Team can't be all here tonight," Jeong Yeon opened to the table, "Onew and Ji Won are busy, as well as Hwan Hee," 

"Alpha Team isn't complete either," Jin Goo said while he poured down soju on his glass, "Park Hoon-hyung and the others were busy with modelling and with family tonight, but they extended their greetings to Director Lee," 

Hye Kyo nodded, "That's great. To be honest, I also wasn't expecting you to come because you had a newborn," 

"Ani, my wife allowed me to go out tonight," 

"Wait, that counts as another celebration! We have not gathered to congratulate you yet!" Jeong Yeon beamed.

"Then let's make the most out of tonight, Jin Goo-ssi! Cheers!" Sung Joon declared, "Ppalli, ppalli! Raise your glass and make a toast before Director Lee and Kim Eun Suk sees us celebrate ahead!" 

That made everyone laugh and raise their half-filled glass towards the center, "Taeyang-ui Huye!" They shouted as they clanked their glasses together, when the door opened all of a sudden, revealing a surprised Lee Eun Bok staring at each of them by the doorstep. 

"Director Lee! Chukahabnida!!" The ever-vibrant Sung Joon initiated the cheers to welcome their friends who had just arrived from the awards ceremony. Everyone was at their most joyous mood, lining up and greeting them one by one as they entered. First was the Director, who was enjoying everyone's celebratory vibe, next came Kim Won Suk and Kim Eun Suk, the screenwriters of Descendants of the Sun. 

"Legends! Legends!" One of the PDs, Baek Sang Hoon, yelled as the writers entered, while the rest of the PDs and the actors clanked their soju bottles with the tip of their spoons to cheer them on. "Writer Kim, you did a great job!"

"Which one are you referring to, PD-nim?" Hye Kyo joked, "Both of them have Kim as their surname!" 

"Beats you, Hye Kyo-ssi! You share the same surname with Joong Ki!" He cackled, and everybody agreed laughing. 

"Come to think of it, they're already like Hallyu legends. Geundae, where's Joong Ki-ssi?" Sung Joon asked, noticing that the room's door shut close when they were still one less person complete. 

Hye Kyo was going to feel disappointed all throu